


Coming Back As We Are

by EscapingReality51



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: 5+1 Things, Aaron POV, Family Fluff, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Husbands, Implied Sexual Content, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 03:09:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15476325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EscapingReality51/pseuds/EscapingReality51
Summary: 5 times Aaron didn't realise he wanted to marry Robert again + the one time he did





	Coming Back As We Are

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this last night and finished writing it this morning. It is unedited so I hope there aren't too many typos and mistakes.   
> Title is from The Scientist by Coldplay

**i.**

Aaron’s tired. Not just the tired you get from waking up too early and working too long, but the tiredness that seeps into your bones and into your mind, a tiredness that no amount of sleep can alleviate. 

The curry on the table in front of him is getting cold but he doesn’t feel like eating. Not when Chas is looking at him from the bar, studying him, worrying and thinking and waiting for a chance to ask about Alex.

Aaron lifts a forkful to his mouth but the taste sours on his tongue - everything is off, wrong, a knot in his stomach and a sadness in his heart but he can’t. He can’t go back. 

The door to the pub opens and Robert walks in, leather jacket wrapped around him like an armour, face fixed. His gaze doesn’t even touch Aaron’s, guarding Aaron as much as himself from possible hurt. At least, more than the past week has caused. 

Robert sits at the bar with his back turned to Aaron and Vic joins him, chatting to him across the bar. Vic casts a careful look Aaron’s way and Aaron fast pretends he hasn’t been looking at him, at that vast expanse of back and blond hair and stares at his now cold curry. 

This is wrong. It should be - Aaron is afraid of saying what it should be but with each passing second it becomes more and more clear what it should be, what he really wants. Even if it scares him. Even if it hurts. 

With a final glance at Robert, Aaron gets up and walks out of the pub.   

  
**ii.**

Aaron doesn’t know what woke him, but his eyes open slowly, easing himself into the state of awakeness. He turns in his bed so he lies on his back and he finds himself looking at the ceiling. As the final dregs of sleep leave him, his eyes fell on the sleeping form next to him. 

Robert’s hair lies softly against his pillow, his nose is pressed into the cover and one eye is hidden by it. His breathing is soft, obstructed slightly but Robert doesn’t notice. He sleeps calmly, his body curled in on himself and his chest exposed. 

Aaron smiles. He shifts over and presses a kiss to Robert’s shoulder, which makes Robert shift slightly as sleep leaves him. Robert instinctively reaches over and wraps an arm around Aaron’s waist, and Aaron moves closer. 

“Morning,” Robert mumbles, lips finding Aaron’s skin for a kiss. 

Aaron puts a hand over Robert’s waist and presses their foreheads together. “Morning,” he says. “How did you sleep?”

Robert’s mouth curves up in a smile. “Good. Had a good dream,” he says. 

“Oh?” Aaron asks. Robert shuffles closer until their bodies are pressed together. 

“Dreamt that you had bought David’s shop and worked there. You even wore the apron,” he says. 

Aaron snorts. “I wouldn’t,” he counters. 

Robert laughs. “I know, but it was a good look on you,” he says. Now his eyes are mischievous and his grin is without shame. Aaron kisses him until he softens in his arms, hardens against Aaron’s thigh. 

“Good morning indeed,” Robert says, breath now heavy in Aaron’s ear. 

He never wants to wake up any other way. 

 

**iii.**

 

Running the scrapyard single-handedly is tough. With Adam and Gerry gone Aaron doesn’t feel like he has a handle on things, not yet. Every decision is his, every contract and pick up is his. Work is more exhausting than ever, and Aaron walks down the driveway to the Mill with heavy steps. 

With a turn of a key the door to the Mill is unlocked, and Aaron walks in. 

Robert’s working, one hand with a phone to his ear, and the other typing on his laptop, and as he spots Aaron he smiles, breaking out of his conversation with whatever contract he has. 

“No, there can’t be a 5% increase for your services,” Robert says before turning the phone down and whispering “Got food in the oven for us, done in 10.” 

Aaron smiles and gets them both a beer from the fridge. Robert smiles gratefully as Aaron sits down next to him before turning his focus back to whoever is on the phone. 

“I’m sorry, Mr Carter, but I’ve got the contract right here.” Robert waits patiently for a reply before rolling his eyes. “I will not pay you a penny more than what I signed for in the contract. Now, if you want to be known as someone who often breaches contracts then -” Robert’s smiling now, that smile he gets when he knows he can get what he wants. The smile he used to use on Aaron. The smile that makes Aaron’s mouth water. “-Good doing business with you too,” Robert finishes, hanging up. 

“Problem?” Aaron asks.

Robert leans back in his chair and smiles arrogantly. “Not anymore,” he says. 

Aaron can’t help himself - he leans forward, pulling at Robert’s shirt until they are inches apart. Robert’s still smiling and Aaron can’t help biting his lower lip. They can read each other so well now, Aaron knows exactly what that does to Robert. Time for some pay-back. 

“Liv home?” Aaron asks. 

Robert nods, tongue darting out to lick his lips. Aaron leans in and kisses him, deep and heavy and Robert melts against him, tongues sliding together. Robert moans and Aaron takes it as a personal victory. 

“Later?” Robert asks. At that moment the oven timer goes off and Aaron chuckles. 

“Later,” he agrees. There’s a later now. They have as many laters as they need.

  
**iv.**

Aaron’s breath is still laboured, sweat is still trickling down his face, the release of his orgasm still making his head spin. He has Robert’s thighs wrapped around his waist, and Aaron’s hand has made a slight imprint on one of them. 

“Fuck,” Robert mutters, and Aaron grins. They hadn’t been able to do that in a few days and Aaron knows Robert needed it as much as Aaron did. He leans forward and catches Robert’s mouth in a kiss. 

Aaron pulls out and lets his gaze drift over Robert’s naked body; his trembling legs and the cum that paints his chest. It’s his favourite sight. 

Aaron gets him a wet cloth, helps him clean the worst off of his chest, pressing a kiss to his shoulder as he does it. Robert’s smiling at him, all teeth and freckles and sweat-soaked hair. After they both clean up a bit, and they open a window, they sink back into bed, Robert wrapping his arms around Aaron while Aaron rests his head on Robert’s shoulder. 

“I missed you this week,” Aaron mumbles, lips moving against Robert’s skin. 

“I was gone for 2 days,” Robert replies. Aaron meets his eye and Robert’s face softens. “I missed you too, a lot.” 

Gone are the days where they couldn’t admit it, where they felt slight shame at the concept of missing. Aaron doesn’t care anymore. Robert is such a large part of his life that the missing comes faster than ever before. Maybe it’s because he knows Robert feels the same. Maybe it’s because he knows Robert’s never too far away. 

Aaron leans up and kisses Robert, softly this time. It’s a thank you, an I love you, an I want you, wrapped into one. It lingers and Aaron feels completely filled with love. With happiness. 

What was soft turns heated in an instant when Robert deepens the kiss, and Aaron pulls away with a laugh. “You are insatiable,” he says. 

Robert grins. “Can you blame me?” he asks, as his hand runs down Aaron’s back and grabs at the flesh of his arse. It sends shivers down Aaron’s spine and blood to his cock. 

It doesn’t take them long before Robert has Aaron lying face-down on the bed, his nerves on fire. While Aaron can still think, he knows that this is their way of saying ‘I missed you’ just as much as with words. Then Robert licks the thought from Aaron’s mind. 

  
**v.**

Robert is pacing outside the pub, which is never a good sign. Robert pacing means one thing. Robert pacing means he is angry. 

“Robert?” Aaron asks. His head snaps up immediately as he spots Aaron, but his expression doesn’t change. “What happened?” 

Robert takes a few breaths to gather his thoughts and Aaron walks up to stand in front of him. “I just - I can’t believe it…” 

“What?” Aaron asks again, pressing him. 

“Nicola has just saddled me with weeks of extra work because she and Jimmy need to ‘work on their marriage’ and…” Robert exhales loudly. “I was planning on spending some more time with you, with our family,” he says. 

_ Our family _ makes Aaron’s chest swell, makes a smile grow on his lips. “We’ll figure it out,” he says. 

“I’ve just been so busy lately and I feel like I’m either working or sleeping, I wanted more time with you,” he says. 

At this, Aaron reaches out and grabs Robert’s arm, holds him steady. “You’ve been busy yeah, but we can figure it out, make sure we have more time together somehow.” 

Robert takes a deep breath. Aaron strokes his arm and makes Robert shift his gaze to him. “You sure?” Robert asks. 

“We’re in this together and it might be a bit tough for a while but you’re working hard for us… I know we’ll be fine, yeah?” Aaron says. 

Robert nods. “I’m sorry,” he says.

“Don’t be,” Aaron replies. “Do you have time for a drink in the pub?” 

Robert smiles, just a small one but it’s enough. “‘Course,” he says. 

“Good,” Aaron replies. “Then we can figure out how to get back at them.” 

Robert lets out a chuckle. He pulls at Aaron’s hand and interlaces their fingers. “Sounds good to me,” Robert says.

 

**+1**

Robert is a large man. He is tall and broad-shouldered and imposing, but as he lies on the hospital bed, an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth and needles in his arms, he looks small. Sickeningly small. It’s all wrong - Robert shouldn’t be here and Liv shouldn’t have a cut on her face but as much as Aaron wishes for it to not be true, it doesn’t happen. Robert still lies there, Liv’s forehead is still red and bleeding. 

Aaron’s sitting in a chair by Robert’s bed, stroking the skin of Robert’s forearm, listening to the steady humming of the machines around him and Robert’s steady breathing. It’s the only sound that lessens the pain in his chest, the worry in his mind. Robert’s still breathing. 

He’s always been there. Robert has been there for Aaron without fault for two years and the thought of Aaron losing him makes his dried eyes blurry again. 

“I couldn’t lose you,” Aaron mumbles to no one. 

It dislodges something in his chest. He can’t lose Robert, not again, not now when they’re finally getting it right, working together, loving each other. 

The ring on Robert’s finger gleams in the harsh hospital light, catching Aaron’s eye. Despite the worry that permeates his being, a smile forms on his lips, and idea forms in his mind.

Marriage. Their first wedding was tinged with sadness and Aaron can’t remember it without knowing they’ve grown so much since then, both of them. It feels different now, it feels new. As he holds Robert’s arm he knows that there is no one else for him, no one else he wants to marry. Again. 

Aaron clutches at Robert’s arm a little tighter, presses a kiss to the skin there. The Doctors have said Robert will be fine, that Aaron called the ambulance just in time, that Robert just needs to rest now. Robert will wake up and Aaron will kiss him and some day soon, Aaron wants to ask him to marry him, again. For their past, but even more for their present. For their future. 

It is with a small smile on his lips that he falls asleep next to Robert’s bed, a picture of their future clear in his mind; a house, a home, a family. His hand stays on Robert’s arm though. He doesn’t ever want to let go. 

**Author's Note:**

> any kudos and comments are much appreciated :) I'm escapingreality51 on tumblr


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